<![CDATA[The Madcast]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast The Madcast is a podcast that explores the intersection of disability, academia, and everything in between. From interviewing academics working towards disability justice  to reviewing media portrayals of disability, the Madcast covers a wide range of topics for folks to tune into bimonthly (twice a month). Enjoy!

The podcast is hosted by the UC Berkeley Disability Lab and recorded at the Ethnic Studies Changemaker Studio at Cal.

UC Berkeley Disability Lab Linktree: https://linktr.ee/calradmadlab

Madcast Patreon:
patreon.com/themadcast

The Madcast © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, Trisha Nguyen is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International 

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]]> RSS.com 2026.428.112250 Sat, 09 May 2026 01:40:17 GMT en 6cee80ba-b3c8-510c-9d82-8380dceaefb7 https://media.rss.com/the-madcast/podcast_cover.jpg The Madcast https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast yes © 2026 The Madcast Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, Madison Phoenix, and Nicholas Escobar Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, Madison Phoenix, and Nicholas Escobar false episodic podcast <![CDATA[Episode 14: Unified Cutlery Theory]]> We hope you washed your dishes, because we're talking about spoon theory!

Coined in 2003 by American writer Christine Miserandino, spoon theory is a concept used widely in the disability community to convey how disabled people make do with limited energy. If you've ever heard someone mention being "out of spoons" or being a "spoonie", they're using spoon theory! In the time since its coining, spoon theory has come to be a significant metaphor in disabled dialogue, and other cutlery-based ideas have grown from it. Tune in to hear us discuss some of these theories.

See transcript here.

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806477 Buzzsprout-18962960 3047 full 1 1 14 14 false Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 13: Crip Spacetime w/ Dr. Margaret Price]]> This might just be our best episode yet.

Today we talk with the incredible Dr. Margaret Price (she/they), a genderqueer and disabled English professor specializing in disability studies and rhetoric, about their book Crip Spacetime: Access, Failure, and Accountability in Academic Life. Tune in for a fun conversation about research methodology, the harm of accommodations, band-aids, and more!

Buy a copy of Crip Spacetime or read it for free here.

Read more about the Gathering Project here.

See transcript here.

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806478 Buzzsprout-18960854 3565 full 1 1 13 13 false Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 12: Superheroes & Disability (Part 2)]]> Oh my god, it's a sequel episode!

Welcome back! This week El, Nate, and lyn are still geeking out superheroes and comic books. The conversation on disabled representation in superhero-related media continues, this time mentioning characters like Madame Web, Daredevil, and various speedsters, and delving into the narrative tropes of disability in the superhero genre.

Join comic book nerds El & Nate  — as well as our resident comic book laywoman, lyn — for yet another fun and self-indulgent episode of the Madcast.

See transcript here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806479 Buzzsprout-17218027 2840 full 1 1 12 12 false Sat, 31 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 11: Superheroes & Disability (Part 1)]]> Welcome back!

This week’s episode of the Madcast features hosts El, Nate, and lyn geeking out on superheroes and comic books! Specifically, we’re looking at disabled representation in superhero-related media, across comic books, TV, movies, and more. From official disabled representation (Moon Knight, Oracle/Barbara Gordon, and Hawkeye) to disability-coded characters (Batman, the Flash, and the X-Men) there’s a lot to talk about!

Come join comic book nerds El & Nate — as well as our resident comic book laywoman, lyn — on this exciting, self-indulgent episode of the Madcast.

See transcript here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806480 Buzzsprout-17218018 3156 full 1 1 11 11 false Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 10: Disability 101 - Principles of Disability Justice]]> Welcome back! On this week’s episode of the Madcast, hosts El and lyn cover yet another key disability studies/activism term: disability justice. Defined by members of the BIPOC, queer, and disabled performance art group Sins Invalid, disability justice is concept/framework academics and laymen use often haphazardly, without fully understanding what it means “to practice” disability justice. So we’re here to unpack disability justice — What is it? What are its key principals? Why is it important? 

Come find out the answer on this week’s episode of the Madcast!

See transcript here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806481 Buzzsprout-17017049 2973 full 1 1 10 10 false Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 9: Cannabis w/ Marlo De La Mora]]> Welcome back! On this week's episode of the Madcast, hosts El and Mads are joined by a very special guest, Marlo De La Mora (she/her), to talk about the fascinating yet polarizing subject of cannabis. Marlo is an Anthropology undergraduate at UC Berkeley whose research focuses on the anthropology of cannabis. Join us as we discuss the stigma and misconceptions around cannabis, its value as an alternative to Western medicine, and Marlo's journey paving her own unique path in academia. 

Marlo's an incredible guest and friend of the pod, so we hope you'll join us this week on The Madcast.

Check out Marlo's shop!

See Transcript Here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806482 Buzzsprout-16918449 3186 full 1 1 9 9 false Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 8: Autism Representation in the Media]]> Welcome back! On this week's episode of the Madcast, Hosts El, Nate, and lyn are discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly of autism representation in the media. Join us as we discuss Autistic-coded characters well-known Autistic-coded characters (Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory, Spock of the Star Trek franchise, Abed Nadir from Community), controversial yet confirmed Autistic characters (Rain man of Rain Man, Dr. Shaun Murphy of The Good Doctor, Music of Sia's Music), common archetypes (the autistic savant, the robot/alien, the child/infantilized individual), and so much more! 

This topic is incredibly rich and incredibly close to us, so we hope you'll join us on this fascinating week of The Madcast!

See transcript here.

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806483 Buzzsprout-16836431 2822 full 1 1 8 8 false Sat, 22 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 7: Who Gets To Define Disability? Self-Diagnosis, Institutional Barriers, and Community]]> Welcome back to a new season of the Madcast!! Back from a brief hiatus, Hosts El and lyn are bringing an exciting new line-up of episodes filled with new guests, new topics, and much, much more!

On this week's episode, we're discussing the issue of disability: disability as an identity, disability as a medical diagnosis, and disability as a deeply personal experience. We're unpacking how institutional power, community gatekeeping, and shame (as well as self-empowerment, community support, and disabled joy) dictates our identity. 

There's a lot to cover this episode- you won't wanna miss a single second!

See transcript here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!Thank you all and enjoy the show!!Credits:Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProducer: Nate Tilton and Eliana MaderaProduction Assistance: Trisha NguyenExecutive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC BerkeleyCopyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha NguyenLicense: CC-by-SA Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806484 Buzzsprout-16761803 2878 full 1 1 7 7 false Sun, 09 Mar 2025 23:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 6: Disability Deep Dive - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)]]> Welcome back to this week's episode of the Madcast!

On this week's episode, Hosts El and Lyn are bringing on two very special guests, Harry and G, to discuss Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  This episode we'll be discussing: What is OCD as both a diagnosis and as a lived experience? How do media representations of OCD perpetuate harm and misrepresentation for those with OCD? and- Wait, acrylic nails can help with some of my OCD behaviors?!?!

Tune in to see all these questions answered and more!

You can find the transcript to today's episode here.

Warning! This episode contains some material that may be sensitive to some of our audience. Please take care of yourselves and skip this episode if the following list may trigger you or make you uncomfortable.

Content warnings:

  • There will be discussion of 
    • In-depth descriptions of obsessive-compulsive thinking and themes
    • Eating Disorders
    • Dissociation/Dissociative Disorders
    • Discussion of Skin-Picking/Dermatillomania
    • Religious Trauma
    • Fear of  inflicting violence on others
    • Fear of animal abuse 
  • There are also brief mentions, by name, of
    • R*pe 
    • P*dophilia

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!

If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!

Thank you all and enjoy the show!!

Credits:
Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Producer: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Production Assistance: Trisha Nguyen
Executive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD

Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)

Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC Berkeley

Copyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha Nguyen

License: CC-by-SA
Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806485 Buzzsprout-14963834 2986 full 1 1 6 6 false Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 5: Disability 101 - What is Academic Ableism?]]> Welcome back to this week's episode of the Madcast!

 This week, Hosts Nate and El are trying out a new segment for the pod, "Disability 101." The segment will focus on one key disability concept, term, experience, and community folks may be unfamiliar and give a "101," or introductory explanation, on that concept/term/experience/community.

Moving onto today's episode, we'll be answering the question, what actually IS academic ableism? What does it look like in post-secondary education? And, how in the world are disabled folks supposed to navigate the hellscape that is getting academic accommodations?! Come join us to find out- you won't regret it.

Note: See episode transcript here


If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!

If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!

Thank you all and enjoy the show!!

Credits:
Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Producer: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Production Assistance: Trisha Nguyen
Executive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD

Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)

Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC Berkeley

Copyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha Nguyen

License: CC-by-SA
Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806486 Buzzsprout-14887750 2315 full 1 1 5 5 false Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 3: CODA and d/Deaf Representation]]> Coming back from our winter hiatus, we’re back with another exciting episode of the our newly rebranded podcast, the Madcast.

This week, hosts Nate and El are discussing the award winning film CODA (2021). Tune in for an exciting conversation about disability representation in Hollywood, media depictions of d/Deaf folk and the Deaf community, what it’s like being stuck between two worlds, and so much more!

Note: See episode transcript here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!

If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!

Thank you all and enjoy the show!!

Credits:
Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Producer: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Production Assistance: Trisha Nguyen
Executive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD

Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)

Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC Berkeley

Copyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha Nguyen

License: CC-by-SA
Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806488 Buzzsprout-14698867 2611 full 1 1 3 3 false Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Episode 4: Shakespeare Bot w/ J Bui]]> On this week’s episode of the Madcast, Hosts Nate and El are joined by J Bui (They/them) to discuss a fascinating new project from the UC Berkeley Disability Lab: Shakespeare Bot. Join us as we discuss ethical issues surrounding Chat GPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs),  LLM counter softwares, and the policing of  normative writing at the expense of Neurodivergent students. It’s not an episode to miss!

Transcript: Here

If you want to support us here on the Madcast, check out our Patreon and our Instagram!

If you want check out the lab, check out our Linktree for our socials and media spotlights or our website to check out what new project we have going on!

Thank you all and enjoy the show!!

Credits:
Hosts: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Producer: Nate Tilton and Eliana Madera
Production Assistance: Trisha Nguyen
Executive Producer: Karen Nakamura, PhD

Produced at UC Berkeley Disability Lab (or Rad Mad Lab)

Recorded at Ethnic Studies Changemaker Podcast, UC Berkeley

Copyright © 2023 by Nate Tilton, Eliana Madera, & Trisha Nguyen

License: CC-by-SA
Licenses List | Creative Commons

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-madcast/2806487 Buzzsprout-14794562 2611 full 4 4 false Fri, 29 Mar 2024 23:00:00 GMT